1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments described herein relate generally to a control lever used by being selectively attached to a right side surface or a left side surface of a control box. The embodiments further relate to a remote-control device comprising the control lever.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a boat equipped with an outboard motor, for example, a remote-control device to control the outboard motor is provided in a cockpit. The remote-control device comprises a control box electrically and mechanically connected to the outboard motor, and a control lever attached to a side surface of the control box.
The control lever is an element to execute, for example, a shifting operation and a throttle operation of the outboard motor, and is manually turned by an operator in the back and forth direction of the boat. The control lever comprises a handle held by the operator at the upper end thereof. A tilt switch to tilt up or down the outboard motor is provided at the end of the handle.
In the remote-control device of this type, the control box is often mounted on the inner surface on the starboard side of the cockpit on the assumption that the operator operates the control lever with the right hand. Since a mounting surface of the control box is positioned on the opposite side of the control lever, if the control box is mounted on the inner surface on the starboard side of the cockpit, the control lever is attached to the left side surface of the control box. Therefore, the tilt switch is provided at the left end of the handle such that the operator can control the switch with the thumb of the right hand holding the handle.
In contrast, in a boat where the control console is provided, for example, at the center of the cockpit, the remote-control device may be mounted on the right side surface of the control console. If the control box is mounted on the right side surface of the control console, the control lever is attached to the right side surface of the control box. Therefore, the orientation of the control lever with respect to the control box is laterally inverted in comparison with the case where the control lever is attached to the left side surface of the control box.
As a result, the orientation of the handle is also laterally inverted along with the control lever, and the tilt switch is positioned at the right end of the handle. Therefore, the tilt switch is positioned on the side of the little finger of the right hand holding the handle, which impairs operability of the tilt switch.
As a measure against this, for example, the control lever is formed in a symmetrical shape in a lever mechanism disclosed in Jpn. Pat. Appin. KOKOKU Publication No. 7-478. Furthermore, a cover comprising a grip can be attached from either the right side or the left side of the control lever.
According to the technology disclosed in the above publication, for example, even if the control lever is detached from the right side surface of the control box and attached to the left side surface, the orientation of the grip can be constantly maintained by laterally inverting the mounting orientation of the cover with respect to the control lever.
As a result, the tilt switch provided at the end of the grip can be constantly positioned on the side of the thumb of the right hand holding the grip.
Therefore, operability of the tilt switch can be preferably maintained even if the orientation of the control lever is laterally inverted.
In the control lever disclosed in the above publication, a cord is extended from the tilt switch. The cord is guided below the control lever through an opening opened at the middle portion of the control lever, and is routed from below the control lever to the control box.
When the cover is laterally inverted and incorporated into the control lever in such a structure, the cover is first detached from the control lever and then the tilt switch is detached from the grip of the cover. Following this, the detached tilt switch is moved from the opening to the opposite side of the control lever and fitted into the grip again. After this, a series of operations such as attaching the cover to the control lever in the laterally inverted orientation is required.
As a result, when the cover is inverted, troublesome operations such as detaching the tilt switch, attaching the tilt switch and changing the wiring path of the cord are unavoidable. Therefore, there is plenty of scope for improvement in view of workability.